Linville Gorge Wilderness

Windling Stair Knob–Gingercake Mountain, 3 summits

13.8 mi · ▲ 3,073 ft · 6 hr 8 min

Windling Stair Knob–Gingercake Mountain, 3 summits is a 13.8-mile out-and-back in Linville Gorge Wilderness near Cold Springs, NC. The route passes Gingercake Mountain before reaching Windling Stair Knob at the turnaround, 6.9 miles in. It climbs 3,073 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade. It scores 46/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi2,457 – 4,164 ft · steepest grade: 21%14.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 35.94193, -81.89438
Nearest town Cold Springs, NC

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Windling Stair Knob–Gingercake Mountain, 3 summits

13.8 mi · ▲ 3,073 ft · 6 hr 8 min

Elevation 2,457–4,163 ft

Out & Back · Linville Gorge Wilderness

Trailhead: 35.94193, -81.89438

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 82°F / low 64° · precip 20% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 7:03 AM · sunset 7:53 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 0.3 miTurn right onto Jonas Ridge Trail, heading SW.
  3. 50 ftPass Gingercake Mountain.
  4. 0.5 miTurn left, heading E.
  5. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  6. 0.2 miBear right onto Raspberry Ridge, heading NE.
  7. 1.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  8. 1.9 miContinue straight onto Steels Creek Trail, heading E.
  9. 300 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  10. 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  11. 0.9 miBear right, heading NE.
  12. 0.7 miSharp right, heading NW.
  13. 0.3 miReach Windling Stair Knob, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 0.4 miSharp left, heading SW.
  15. 0.7 miBear left, heading NE.
  16. 0.9 miTurn left, heading S.
  17. 2.4 miTurn right onto Raspberry Ridge, heading E.
  18. 1.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  19. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  20. 0.4 miTurn right onto Jonas Ridge Trail, heading W.
  21. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  22. 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

36% dirt23% gravel41% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 82°F64°
Precip20%Wind2 mphUV7Humidity87%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
85°60° 1 PM: 7% rain2 PM: 11% rain3 PM: 20% rain4 PM: 19% rain5 PM: 7% rain6 PM: 8% rain7 PM: 4% rain8 PM: 3% rain9 PM: 1% rain10 PM: 2% rain11 PM: 2% rain
Sunrise 7:03 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:53 PM
Sat 80°65° 16%
Sun 76°62° 73%
Mon 70°59° 54%
Tue 74°55°
Wed 82°57°
Thu 83°61°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~21 min). Leave by 7:12 PM for the 7:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:19 PM — 0 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint

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